Petunia plant named ‘Wespeal’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Wespeal’, characterized by its cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit; freely flowering habit; and double salverform light violet-colored flowers with contrasting dark purple-colored venation.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Petunia×hybrida cultivarWespeal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Wespeal’.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany. The new Petunia originated froma cross-pollination made by the Inventor of a proprietary Petuniaselection identified as 98 M 079, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary Petunia selection identified as 98 P 77, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia was selectedby the Inventor in 2000 in a controlled environment in Sudlohn-Oeding,Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inSudlohn-Oeding, Germany since 2001, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Wespeal have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wespeal’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wespeal’ as a new and distinct Petuniacultivar:

1. Cascading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit.

3. Short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Double salverform light violet-colored flowers with contrasting darkpurple-colored venation.

Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the femaleparent, the selection 98 M 079. In addition, plants of the femaleselection have single flowers. Plants of the new Petunia have smallerflowers and darker green-colored leaves than plants of the male parent,the selection 98 P 77.

Plants of the cultivar Wespeal can be compared to plants of the Petuniacultivar Wespemari, not patented. However in side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Petunia and thecultivar Wespemari differed in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter internodes than plants of thecultivar Wespemari.

2. Plants of the new Petunia had darker green-colored and smaller leavesthan plants of the cultivar Wespemari.

3. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of thecultivar Wespemari.

4. Plants of the new Petunia had darker green-colored and smaller sepalsthan plants of the cultivar Wespemari.

5. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were double whereas flowers ofplants of the cultivar Wespemari were single.

Plants of the cultivar Wespeal can also be compared to plants of thePetunia cultivar Kerpril, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 09/399,874. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted inSudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Petunia and the cultivarKerpril differed in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia were shorter than plants of the cultivarKerpril.

2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of thecultivar Kerpril.

3. Plants of the new Petunia had darker green-colored and smaller sepalsthan plants of the cultivar Kerpril.

4. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were not fragrant whereasflowers of plants of the cultivar Kerpril were fragrant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Wespeal’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical flower and leaves of ‘Wespeal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and the description were grown in 12-cmcontainers during the spring and summer for about 20 weeks in aglass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which closely approximatecommercial production conditions in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures were about 20 to 25° C.,night temperatures were about 16 to 18° C. and light levels ranged from3,000 to 50,000 lux.

Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Wespeal.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection identified as 98 M079, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection identified as 98 P77, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 18 days at 20° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 20 to 28 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.—Annual flowering plant; initially upright, then cascading. Viscid,glandular pubescent. Freely continuous basal branching with lateralbranches potentially forming at every node.

Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and patiocontainers.

Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About 16.7 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 28 cm.

Stem description.—Main branches, length: About 45 to 60 cm. Mainbranches, diameter: About 4.7 mm. Lateral branches, length: About 35 cm.Lateral branches, diameter: About 2.8 mm. Internode length: About 2.5cm. Texture: Densely pubescence. Color: 144A to 144B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Before flowering, alternate; afterflowering, opposite; simple. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 3.6 cm.Shape: Ovate to rounded. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.Aspect: Flat. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; leathery.Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Young and mature foliage, uppersurface: 147A. Young and mature foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation,upper surface: 147C to 147D. Venation, lower surface: 147D. Petiolelength: About 1.2 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2.7 mm. Petiole color:147C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Double salverform flowers; flowers face upwardand outward; single, axillary. Flowers persistent. Freely flowering.

Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; flowering from Apriluntil frost in the autumn in Germany; flowering continuous during thisperiod.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 5.8 cm. Depth (height): About 4.5 cm. Tubelength: About 2.7 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About 1.2 cm. Tubediameter, proximal end: About 4 mm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Oblong.Color, towards apex: 145C; venation, 166A to 79B. Color, midsection andbase: 79D; venation, 166A.

Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: Two whorls of five petals each, fusedinto flared trumpet. Length from throat, outer whorl: About 2.5 cm.Length from throat, inner whorl: About 1.65 to 2 cm. Width, outer whorl:About 2.5 cm. Width, inner whorl: About 2.1 to 2.7 cm. Shape: Roughlyspatulate. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire, undulate. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: 85C.When opening, lower surface: 85D. Fully opened, upper surface: 85C to85D; color does not fade with development. Fully opened, lower surface:85A. Flower throat (inside): 79D. Flower tube (outside): 79D. Venation,upper surface: 79A to 79B. Venation, lower surface: 79B to 166A.Venation, throat: 79A. Venation, tube: 166A.

Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals, fused atbase; star-shaped. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:Linear. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:Pubescent; leathery. Color, upper surface: 147A. Color, lower surface:147B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Flexibleand wiry. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A; towards the flower, 166A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 5 to 15 per flower. Anthershape: Four-parted, reniform. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther width:About 3 mm. Anther color: 85D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:94D. Pistils: Quantity: One or two per flower; deformed, variable inshape and size. Stigma color, immature: 137A. Stigma color, mature:147A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production have not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been notedto be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed tobe tolerant to temperatures from 2 to 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named‘Wespeal’, as illustrated and described.